[lor bell]

I have a Pentex KX. It came with the standard lens 18-55. I told my hubby I wanted a new lens. Any suggestions for a lens next step up with a better zoom. B & H suggested a SIGMA 18-250 Macro Item 883109 $349.00. I'd like to stay in that price range.
Thanks
Laurie

[old4570]

Pentax SMC DA 18-135mm F/3.5-5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR Lens 21977 B&H This one , but the $$


Pentax SMCP-DA 18mm-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AL (IF) DC WR AF Lens #21977 21977 Better ??


The larger the zoom variable , the more likely you are to suffer image quality issues ...
I guess it just depends on what level you demand ..
If its just for family snaps , and holidays , a 18-200 lens might be a better choice and offers a lot more pricing options ..

[lesmore49]

I would suggest a Pentax 55-300...which would fit well with your current focal length ie; 18-55. I have the 55-300 and although it is a consumer lens it's a darn good one in my opinion. Very clear photo's. One version is the WR...weather resistance.

I'm very happy with mine....I've made many an 8 X 10 with it and it's sharp from 55-300.

I think you're from the USA. I'm from Canada, so taking a look at an American company...B+H Photo....I see it's on sale and is available for $ 345 @ B+H. Think you said that was your price range.

Pentax HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED WR Lens 22270 B&H Photo

Check the reviews in that link. They're from people who own and use it.

[NaClH2O]

Laurie, are you willing to go second hand? When you say "better zoom" do you mean higher resolution in the same zoom range? Or do you mean longer reach? If the answer to the first question is yes and the answer to the second question is "higher resolution in the same zoom range" the answer is the Pentax DA 16-45 f/4. You should be able to find one for around 250-300. It is a very good lens, much superior to the 18-55. Another good lens to look at in that zoom range is the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8. It goes for about $500 new but you can find it for a LOT less second hand.
If the answer to the first question is no and the answer to the second question is "longer reach" then choose the Pentax DAL 55-300 WR. I've never used this lens but it gets good marks for an inexpensive telephoto zoom.
If you are willing to go $75 more expensive, you should look at the Pentax DA 18-135. Another lens I've never used but lots and lots of people like it. I have seen it several places for about $425 this holiday season. Again you can find one lots cheaper second hand.
Thing is I can't in all honesty recommend a lens like B&H recommended. "Super zooms" like this one usually have serious problems at one end of the zoom or the other, sometimes both ends. Optical science hasn't figured out yet how to solve the problem of decent resolution at both ends of a long zoom. It sounds wonderful on paper but in reality, no one has yet made a good 10X or higher super zoom.

NaCl(hope this helps)H2O

[VoiceOfReason]

18-135

[ramseybuckeye]

I would agree with the DA55-300WR or the DA18-135WR for a little more money. They both have much better IQ than you'll get with the 18-2xx super zooms. If you go with the 55-300 get at DA version over the DAL, the biggest reason is quickshift which can really help since it's a slow and noisy focusing lens, the DA version also comes with a hood and metal mount, and is now weatherized, which doesn't really matter with your Kx, but if you ever buy a new body...

[JimC1101]

My first lens with my K-X a few years ago was the:


Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Lens for Pentax Digital SLR - $199


I still use this on my K-30 a lot. It is not WR but you have a K-X so you don't need a WR lens. It is a great lens for the price and just stop down a little, you will have some really great pics.

[hray]

I have a Pentex KX. It came with the standard lens 18-55. I told my hubby I wanted a new lens. Any suggestions for a lens next step up with a better zoom. B & H suggested a SIGMA 18-250 Macro Item 883109 $349.00. I'd like to stay in that price range.
Thanks
Laurie

I also have a K-x, but got it with both the 18-55 and the 55-300 kit lenses. I really like the 55-300 for wildflowers, birds, etc. outdoors. It's great fun to pair it with the Raynox 150 for really closeup detail shots of flowers.

I've asked Santa for the18-250 Sigma macro because I don't like having to change lenses when out hiking, and I'd like to be able to use the macro focus to get closer to the flowers when photographing them. It's annoying to have to back up further and further to get the focus, especially when the drop-off from the hiking trail goes down a couple thousand feet!

BTW, for landscapes, I love my Tamron 10-24 wide angle. A whole different way to see things!

Have fun, whatever you get!
Hallie in NM

[hcc]

You already got good advice. I would say that the DA18-135mm would be great choice, if you do not want to swap lens. My wife uses mostly the DA18-135mm and she loves it.

But I would suggest you to consider a prime. If the FA Ltd are too expensive, a 2nd hand DA Ltd would be a great choice. But which one?

+First, look at your photographs. What is your most used focal length? 18 mm, 25 mm, 35 mm, 40mm... ? The information is easily accessible in the EXIF.

+Second, what do you like to shoot? Each prime has its usage and the compactness of the DA Ltd is a great asset.
Do you like to shoot landscape? The DA15mm Ltd would be great choice IMHO.
Do you like to shoot portrait? The DA70mm Ltd would be a good option.
Do you want something in between? The DA21mm and DA40mm are other options.

+The 'plastic fantastic' DA50mm f1.8 may be a cheap starting point to get into primes

+Do you need AF? There are plenty of great (and not very expensive) MF lenses for Pentax K-mount.

A prime lens is a very different 'beast' from a zoom. For the same price, it will give you much better IQ than a zoom lens. It will also force you to move your feet, to move around and in turn you will get great shots IMHO. I will add that Pentax has a huge offering of superb prime lenses, especially between 14mm and 100 mm, that are the envy of other (Canikon) users.

My 5 cents, hoping that it will assist.

[sorted78]

+First, look at your photographs. What is your most used focal length? 18 mm, 25 mm, 35 mm, 40mm... ? The information is easily accessible in the EXIF.

+Second, what do you like to shoot? Each prime has its usage and the compactness of the DA Ltd is a great asset.
Do you like to shoot landscape? The DA15mm Ltd would be great choice IMHO.
Do you like to shoot portrait? The DA70mm Ltd would be a good option.
Do you want something in between? The DA21mm and DA40mm are other options.

+Do you need AF? There are plenty of great (and not very expensive) MF lenses for Pentax K-mount.

+1

Excellent advice (and enough to get you started on the journey that is LBA)!

To add my 2 cents' worth, I'd echo the advice above but would suggest that one alternative to consider would be a manual focus prime (A50/1.7) as well as one of the kit zooms (55-300 or 50-200 - depending on what you can find within budget).

This would give you a more flexible kit. You would have a longer zoom reach and AF lenses that cover a good range but would also get a prime lens as well.

I'd be among the first to admit that primes aren't for everyone, but they can be fun to use and immensely rewarding. Something like an A50/1.7 is a good place to start and find out if you like them. It's less expensive than a DA limited and gives you options to shoot in low light or shoot with a shallow depth of field that you simply wouldn't have with the 18-135 or 18-250 zooms. If you don't like it, it's unlikely that you would lose any money on it.

[Madaboutpix]

At the price point you indicated, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the DA 55-300mm, either the smc DA or the HD WR version. The latter would give you (simplified) weather-sealing on your next (weather-sealed) body. Avoid perhaps a third, the L version, because you lose the metal mount, Quick Shift, the lens hood, and an overall more-pleasure-to-use build.

I picked up the smc DA as the second lens for my K-7 and have been consistently pleased with its results. It even holds up fairly well on the K-3, on which it is still my telephoto workhorse. If you get a copy as good as mine, you'll have a lightweight, highly versatile telephoto that covers virtually anything from portraits, distant macros and landscapes, to zoo animals and such. The screw-driven AF does create some noise, and its not the fastest lens for sure, but the IQ is more than adequate for a consumer zoom of its type. The images are contrasty and reasonably detailed even at the long end (where many super zooms and even telephoto zooms struggle). For better resolution at long telephoto, in the Pentax line-up, you would have to upgrade to the DA* offerings (and easily have to pay thrice as much). Check out the Pentax Photo Gallery or the reviews on this forum for images taken with this lens, and you'll get a sense of what this lens would add to your kit, without breaking the bank.

[Docrwm]

The K-x was my first dSLR and I started with the 18-55 + 55-300 combination. I've bought and sold 45 lenses since then but still own, and use, the 55-300 despite having much more expensive and "better" lenses. Why? As has been said already, it's a compact lens that performs well and gives you excellent reach. I have some amazing photographs of my son playing soccer that came from that lens. I also have a super zoom 18-250 for this mes when I can only have one lens with me. If I had to sell one of the two it would be the 18-250 without hesitation.

[Al_Kahollick]

I have a Pentex KX. It came with the standard lens 18-55. I told my hubby I wanted a new lens. Any suggestions for a lens next step up with a better zoom. B & H suggested a SIGMA 18-250 Macro Item 883109 $349.00. I'd like to stay in that price range.
Thanks
Laurie

Amazon.com : Pentax 21977 DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR Lens for Pentax Digital SLR cameras bulk packaging : Camera Lenses : Camera & Photo

[Docrwm]

Amazon.com : Pentax 21977 DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR Lens for Pentax Digital SLR cameras bulk packaging : Camera Lenses : Camera & Photo

Be careful of sellers like that one (search here for stories) because they often are selling kits that are broken into pieces. For example, many report not getting the hood (which comes standard with all 18-135s) when ordering from such places.

[Al_Kahollick]

Be careful of sellers like that one (search here for stories) because they often are selling kits that are broken into pieces. For example, many report not getting the hood (which comes standard with all 18-135s) when ordering from such places.

Amazon has a great return policy though, even when buying from a 3rd party. I got my 18 - 135 from them (don't recall the vendor), and it was indeed taken from a kit, but had both caps and the hood. I wrote to Amazon questioning if it was gray market, they told me it was from a kit, warranty was valid, and I could return it for a full refund OR keep it and get a 25% refund since it wasn't advertised as being split from a kit. Guess which option I chose!


If you're not happy with any purchase made through them, they'll do all they can to make it right.